Machine for compacting and tying coils

ABSTRACT

A machine for compacting and tying coils has a vertical frame on which a horizontal plate is fixed for receiving coils with their axes extending vertically. The compacting unit has an elongated arm disposed on the periphery of the plate for each coil, the arms being mounted in a like number of slides and each arm including a top jaw for engaging the top end of one of the coils. The arms are simultaneously moved apart to permit the introduction of coils into the machine and then lowered so that the top jaws compact the coils. A tying unit with tying material supply means, twisting heads and guide channels then ties each compacted coil.

United States Patent [191 Glasson [4 1 Mar. 19, 1974 [76] Inventor: Jean E. Glasson, 17, rue des Deserts, Argenteuil, France Filed: Dec. 26, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 318,253

Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee 5 7] ABSTRACT A machine for Compacting and tying coils has a vertical frame on which a horizontal plate is fixed for receiving coils with their axes extending vertically. The compacting unit has an elongated arm disposed on the periphery of the plate for each coil, the arms being mounted in a like number of slides and each arm including a top jaw for engaging the top end of one of the coils. The arms are simultaneously moved apart to permit the introduction of coils into the machine and then lowered so that the top jaws compact the coils. A tying unit with tying material supply means, twisting heads and guide channels then ties each compacted coil.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU MR 1 9 I974 SHEET 1 [1F 2 FIG.1

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PATENTEU MAR 1 9 I974 SHEET 2 [IF 2 MACHINE FOR COMPACTING AND TYING COILS The present invention relates to a machine for compacting and tying coils, and although it is not 50 restricted, it is more particularly concerned with a machine for compacting and tying coils of wire supplied by steelworks.

Machines capable of carrying out automatically the operations of compacting and tying coils have been known for a long time. Nevertheless, all these known machines are of the horizontal type, that is .to say the coils are compacted in the machine with their axes extending horizontally. At the present time steelworks tend to supply coils of wire of increasing size, their dimensions sometimes being such that these horizontal machines are practically useless.

According to the present invention, there is provided a machine for compacting and tying coils comprising a vertical frame having a fixed horizontal plate adapted to receive coils whose axes extend vertically, a compacting unit constituted by elongated arms disposed about the periphery of the said plate and mounted for vertical movement in slides, each arm being provided with atop jaw adapted to engage the top end of a coil, means for simultaneously temporarily moving the said arms apart to permit the introduction of coils into the machine, driving means for vertically lowering the said arms'so that the top jaws compact the coils,and a tying unit comprising tying material supply means, twisting headsfand guide channels, for tying each compacted coil.

Thus in the case of the present invention, the coils are compacted and tied while their axesextend vertically, because they are then obviously much easier to transport ancl handle in this position.

It will easily be realised that with a machine of this kind it is possible to handle coils of any desired size, particularly coils attaining heights of several metres.

Preferably the machine comprises an aerial conveyor provided with hanging baskets adapted to support the coils, the hanging baskets with the coils mounted thereon being adapted to be lowered into the machine and being adapted to have the coils compacted thereon.

In a particular embodiment of the invention each slide is pivoted at its bottom portion on the frame in i such a manner as to be. able to move radially in a vertical plane under the action of an operating power cylinder.

With the aid of this arrangement the compacting arms can very easily be 'moved apart on the introduction of a coil into the machine, and thereupon returned to their normal vertical positions so that the jaws can bear against the topend of the coil. The arrangement may moreover be such that this radial movement of the arms at the same time effects the re-centring of the coils on the hanging baskets. i

The arms are preferably pivoted at their bottom ends on a common slide block which is mounted to slide vertically on a fixed shaft, disposed centrally of the machine, the said driving means comprising a plurality of power cylinders each of which is connected between the top end of an arm and the bottom portion of the frame. a i

The invention is illustrated, merely by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG; 1 is a simplified plan view of one embodiment of a machine according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view in section along the line II-II in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 is a detailed view in section on the line III-III in FIG. 2.

The machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 comprises firstly a vertical frame 1 supporting a fixed horizontal plate 2 of circular shape which is adapted to receive coils such as 3, for example coils of wire of the type supplied by steelworks. It will in addition be noted that this machine is partly sunk in a pit 4 in order to reduce its height. I a

Each coil 3 is brought onto the horizontal plate 2, with its axis extending vertically by means of a hanging basket 5 carried by an aerial conveyor (not shown). This hanging basket is composed very simply of four cylindrical uprights 6 forming a mandrel for the coil, the bottom ends of the uprights 6 being fixed to a crossshaped support 7 on which the bottom edge of a coil 3 can rest.

The machine also comprises a compacting unit composed essentially of elongated, hollow, vertically ex tending compacting arms 8, of which there are four in the machine shown inthe drawings, the arms 8 being disposed at equi-angular intervals about the periphery of the horizontal plate 2. Each of the compacting arms 8 is provided at its top end with a jaw 9 adapted to engage over the top edge of a coil 3 when'the latter is in position on the horizontal plate 2, as illustrated in FIG. 2. Each compacting arm 8 is in addition movable vertically in a slide, such as 10, as illustrated in FIG. 3, with the aid of two lateral rollers '11 carried by a pin 12 fastened to the arm 8.

Each slide 10 is fixed rigidly to a respective vertical upright 13, the latter being pivoted at.14 on the bottom portion of the frame 1 in such a manner as to be able to move with respect to the machine in a radial vertical plane. The compacting arms 8 can thus be moved apart from each other and outwardly of the machine in order to withdraw the jaws 9 and enable a coil 3 on its hanging basket 5 to be inserted into the machine.

The movement of each of the vertical uprights 13 is effected with the aid of a link system 15 bearing against a fixed point on the pit 4 and operated by a small power cylinder 16. i a

The four compacting arms 8 are in addition pivoted at their bottom end on a common slide block 17 which is vertically slidable on a fixed central shaft 18, so that the movements of the compacting arms 8 are automatically synchronised. The vertical displacement of each compacting arm 8 is in fact achieved by means of an independent hydraulic power cylinder -19, a rod 20 of which is pivoted on the top portion of the compacting arm 8 while its body is pivoted at Zll on the bottom portion of the frame 1. It will be observed that the rod 20 of the power cylinder 1? is actually pivoted directly on the pin 12 which carrie's'the rollers 11, the rod 20 passing through the hollow interior of the compacting arm 3. i

The machine also comprises a tying unit of known type, which is composed of four identical tying devices situated between the compacting arms 8. Each of these tying devices comprises firstly a guide channel 22 adapted to surround a coil 3' completely, the guide channel 22 being supplied with tying wire 23 from a reel 24. The top portion of each guide channel 22 is in fact composed of a movable crescent-shaped member 25 adapted to pivot about a fixed under the action of a power cylinder 26 in order to permit the introduction of a coil 3 into the machine.

A rectilinear portion of each guide channel 22 which is situated nearest to the axis of the machine is supported by a vertical angle-section 27, while an oppositely disposed rectilinear portion of the guide channel 22 is supported by a U-section member 28 which also supports the movable crescent-shaped member 25 and its operating power cylinder 26. It will in addition be noted that the cross-shaped space bounded by the four angle-sections 27 is designed to permit the passage of the hanging basket 5 supporting the coil 3.

At the bottom part of each guide channel 22 there is provided a conventional tying head 29, comprising in particular means (not shown) for clamping and cutting the tying wire 23, and also a rotating twisting head 30 for tying the tying wire placed around the coil. Each tying head 30 is supplied with tying wire by means of a feed device of known type, which is indicated diagrammatically at 31. It should moreover be noted here that the tying wire 23 could also optionally be in the form of strip, that is to say a thin, narrow band of metal.

The machine which has just been described operates in the following manner.

At the beginning of the cyle themovablecrescentshaped members 25 of the tying devicesare situated in the position shown in FIG. 2, while the compacting arms 8 are in their highest position inside the slides 10. The compacting arms 8 have moreover been withdrawn away from the vertical axis of the machine, by means of the power cylinders 16. i A hanging basket 5 supporting a coil 3 is lowered inside the machine by means not illustrated, care being taken to pass the cross-shaped support 7 between the angle sections 27. At the end of the movement of the hanging basket 5, the latter is supported on the horizontal plate 2, and the power cylinders 16 are then operated so as to bring the compacting arms 8 into their normal vertical positions. It will be observed that this radial movement of the compacting arms 8 automatically effects a certain re-centring of the coil 3 on the hanging basket 5.

The operating power cylinders 19 are then operated and consequently bring about the simultaneous lowering of the four compacting arms 8, this movement taking place synchronously because of the common slide block 17. During this movement, the jaws 9 come to bear against the top edge of the coil 3, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and thus effect its compacting directly on the hanging basket 5. i 4

At the same time the power cylinders 26 are operated in order to effect the closing of the guide channels 22 over the coil 3. At the end of the compacting, the tying unit comes into action and thus in a manner known per se forms four ties around the compacted coil, these ties being fastened by means of the twisting heads 30.

The compacting arms 8 are then brought back to the upper position and then moved apart by means of the power cylinder 16, while the guide channels 22 are reopened by the withdrawal of the crescent shaped members 25 through the action of the power cylinders 26. In order to discharge the compacted, tied coil from the machine, it is sufficient to raise the hanging basket 5 by suitable means, and the machine according to the invention is then ready to carry out a new operating cycle.

It will be easily appreciated that a machine of this kind can handle coils of very large dimensions, which may in particular attain heights of several metres. The coil can always be held in the vertical position on the hanging basket, so that it is easy to handle.

What we claim is:

l. A machine for compacting and tying coils comprising a vertical frame having a fixed horizontal plate adapted to receive coils whose axes extend vertically, a compacting unit constituted by elongated arms disposed about the periphery of the said plate and mounted for vertical movement in slides, each arm being provided with a top jaw adapted'to engage the top end of a coil, means for simultaneously temporarily moving the said arms apart to permit the introduction of coils into the machine, driving means for vertically lowering the said arms so that the top jaws compact the coils,and a tying unit comprising tying material supply means, twisting heads, and guide channels, for tying each compacted coil.

2. A machine according to claim 1 comprising an acrial conveyor provided with hanging baskets adapted to support the coils, the hanging baskets with the coils mounted thereon being adapted to be lowered into the machine and being adapted to have the coils compacted thereon.

3. A machine according to claim 1 in which each slide is pivoted at'its bottom portion on the frame in such a manner as to be able to move radially in a' vertical plane under the action of an operating power cylinder.

4. A machine according to claim 1 in which the arms are pivoted at their bottom ends on a common slide block which is mounted to slide vertically on a fixed shaft, disposed centrally of the machine, the said driving means comprising a plurality of power cylinders each of which is connected between the. top end of an arm and the bottom portion of the frame. 

1. A machine for compacting and tying coils comprising a vertical frame having a fixed horizontal plate adapted to receive coils whose axes extend vertically, a compacting unit constituted by elongated arms disposed about the periphery of the said plate and mounted for vertical movement in slides, each arm being provided with a top jaw adapted to engage the top end of a coil, means for simultaneously temporarily moving the said arms apart to permit the introduction of coils into the machine, driving means for vertically lowering the said arms so that the top jaws compact the coils,and a tying unit comprising tying material supply means, twisting heaDs, and guide channels, for tying each compacted coil.
 2. A machine according to claim 1 comprising an aerial conveyor provided with hanging baskets adapted to support the coils, the hanging baskets with the coils mounted thereon being adapted to be lowered into the machine and being adapted to have the coils compacted thereon.
 3. A machine according to claim 1 in which each slide is pivoted at its bottom portion on the frame in such a manner as to be able to move radially in a vertical plane under the action of an operating power cylinder.
 4. A machine according to claim 1 in which the arms are pivoted at their bottom ends on a common slide block which is mounted to slide vertically on a fixed shaft, disposed centrally of the machine, the said driving means comprising a plurality of power cylinders each of which is connected between the top end of an arm and the bottom portion of the frame. 